Doing yoga to deal with stress

Yoga can be a great aid to help in the fight against stress. Hugely popular, it is far more than the exercise system that many people think it is. Because it is so gentle on the body, with each movement (asana) being considered and focussed upon before the move is attempted, it is slow, peaceful and relaxing and in a way, utilises many of the techniques of meditation.

Yoga is not about stressing out the body to achieve some of the more advanced moves that is often linked to yoga practice; it is about the individual working at their own pace and achieving many benefits and progressing at a pace that suits.

Stretching helps to relieve any tension that is held within individual muscle groups and the postures work on improving muscle strength and flexibility. Don’t forget that stress doesn’t just impact people mentally and emotionally but muscles store tension too. Other benefits include improved lung capacity (with regular yogic breathing techniques) and a sharper more positive focus and a sense of inner peace and calmness.

Ideally, attending a local class is highly beneficial as the teacher can ensure that the body alignment is in the correct position but there are many excellent yoga DVD’s, books or articles that can be sourced on the Internet. With so many styles to choose from, there literally is a style to suit everyone and the health and stress management benefits are far-reaching.

Once peace and inner contentment is established, meditation can be incorporated within the sessions and this increases the benefits further.